TIL the BASE in Base Jumping stands for Buildings, Antennas, Spans, and Earth.
BASE is an acronym that stands for four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump: buildings, antennas (referring to radio masts), spans (bridges) and earth (cliffs).[1][2] Participants jump from a fixed object such as a cliff and, after an optional freefall delay, deploy a parachute to slow their descent and land. A popular form of BASE jumping is wingsuit BASE jumping.
15 replies
I still prefer Big-Assed Splattery Execution
They had a chance to call it BABE jumping and didn't take it. Weak. /s
Huh, and here I always thought it was rooted from "jumping from a stationary base" like a building or cliff. Neat!
I’d like to see one jump from Earth to not-Earth.
I always jump from the Earth into the atmosphere.
It puts me in a very close orbit. 10 cm or so. This is much closer to impact than what the chickens with parachutes dare do.
I thought the base is what you hit when the chute doesn’t open.
Good to know. I always thought it would be more exciting to jump from the top!
Seems bacronym-ish
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/base-jumper-fatally-plunges-700-feet-wingsuit-failure-utah-rcna600114
TIL.
So technically, if I jump from the roof of my garden shed, it is BASE jumping. Free solo if I omit the parachute. Or is it mandatory to use one?
Get a tiny one from those army men toys, glue it to your shoulder. BASE jump accomplished!
Bonus points if you go inside and listen to Ace of Base afterwards.
What about BASS jumping?
I cooked you a delicious bass
That's illegal unless you work for the FBI.
I always heard it as Bridges and Skyscrapers, but since it is a very international sport then "spans" makes more sense.